[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Thursday, 30 December 1999 Volume 09 : Number 839 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 08:02:47 -0500 Subject: [Baren 7349] Re: Baren Digest V9 #837 I'd like to welcome all the newcomers. It looks like Baren's new members are giving us a good shot in the arm, a feeling of renewal. Nice to see all the enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Exchange #4 is finally printed and drying on my dining room table. Like I told Maria in a private email, this whole month has been rather impossible for printing. Every time I would spread out the mess of ink and materials, I would get a phone call that someone was coming. Often, they would just show up. Anyway, I just need to let them dry a few days, sign them and mail them out. The dragons will have to wait until the day after New Years. Gayle ------------------------------ From: "Jandi Goshert" Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 09:46:20 PST Subject: [Baren 7350] Re: Dazed And Confused >The dremmel tool won't cut fine enough nor clean enough for our sport.... I have to disagree with you graham. One of the things I love about woodblock printing is the world of opportunity that lies in using uncoventional tools. It's fun to experiment with different objects and cut or pound them into the wood - for instance, I have used metal punches with letters on them in some of my work. they create an interesting texture that i wouldn't be able to get with traditional tools. I say "go dremmel, go!" jandi ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 10:07:22 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7351] Dear Dan, Curtis and other newbies, I have a beginner's woodcut lesson on my home page that a lot of people seem to find helpful. It's at http://users.lanminds.com/~jeaneger Welcome, we like newbies here. It makes the rest of us look good. Please participate in the exchange #5. You have to sign up for it. http://www.woodblock.com It's under administrative links, the Exchange #5. Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 10:25:04 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7352] tools Dwight, Welcome to Baren! I live in Richmond, north of Berkeley. You could go over the Hida Tool and Hardware on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley and get some good woodcutting tools. They are located across from REI, a few blocks from University Avenue, going north, near Gilman. You could try the tools called "Power Grip." They are reasonably priced and ready to go. A set of 5 costs $28.80 about 2 years ago. You could move up to the expensive tools from there. They also have a large assortment of sharpening stones and a lot of other neat stuff. I started out on Birch plywood and still use it for large pieces. Otherwise, I use cherry and basswood. The last two are available from MacBeath hardwood on Ashby Avenue in Berkeley. Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 13:04:56 -0600 Subject: [Baren 7353] Dragon stamps Anyone waiting for the dragon stamps......they won't be out till january 6 in san francisco and then on sale nation wide on january 7th. If you want to take a peek go to : http://www.stampsonline.com/gallery/2000/luna.htm thanks.....Julio ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 11:46:09 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7354] Re: Dazed And Confused > I say "go dremmel, go!" When I commented on the fact that the tool gives a burred edge it was to inform not to dictate. I use all means of stuff to create a piece. Anything from pebbles to sand to veggie grates and hammers and/or anything that will give me the texture or effect needed. However, I think if you are going to do Hanga it is good to have a starting point and the traditional tools will .......will give you a strong basis from which to work. I am a traditionalist and a believer that in order to expand you should do it from a sound basic knowledge of the sport...... If one goes out there and uses all means of stuff which happens to include wood does that mean you are a woodblock print artist. I would interpret that as more of an image maker and the means to get there is accidental. Nothing wrong with this form of art making. It is usually very exciting. .... different strokes for different folks. Graham ------------------------------ From: Maria Arango Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 11:53:29 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7355] purism vs therestofus Graham wrote: > Red oak is much to hard and grainy for most woodblock applications. Hmmm, must put in my dos pesetas worth here. Oak has a grain that will show in the final print, so it is more difficult to deal with in terms of the image. No difference in carving with either traditional tools or dremmel. The only drawback I have found with oak is that when you mindlessly brush away splinters with the back of your hand you might spend most of the afternoon digging them out of your flesh. For an example of an oak block print, check out: http://www.printmakingstudio.com/outwood/brenaissance.html > The dremmel tool won't cut fine enough nor clean enough for our sport.... Dremmel bits, if sharp, will make as beautiful and diverse a mark as you want them to. For the Monster cut, Daryl has been using the dremmel and I the knives, giving the whole design a nice variety of cuts. The dremmel, when fitted with wire wheels and guided expertly makes some cloud-like marks that would be impossible to get with knives. Both Daryl and I have the extension pen-like thing that allows you to cut with a dremmel bit with as much control as if you were drawing. One drawback of the dremmel is the fine dust that permeates everywhere in the studio after cutting. Dan, Therestofus like to experiment and deviate from the traditional a wee-bit more than others in the group, so don't let anyone scare you off. Having said that, I enjoy carving on wood the most, especially cherry. There is a magic to it that is absent in lino or even birch plywood. Julio, dragon stamps are in Las Vegas already, but we are known as a wild town so maybe the dragons wanted a piece of the New Year celebration. Health to all, Maria ------------------------------ From: "John Ryrie" Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 08:29:09 +1100 Subject: [Baren 7356] Dremmel If you go to my site at http://www.geocities.com/laddertree/30pic.html you will see my very imaginatively titled print Fish I didn't use an actual Dremmal but it was an electric drill with a Dremmal like tip to get the texture of the fish. One thing I should say is don't use this type of tool if you are using M D F board it has some nasty chemicals (Formaldehyde) that the friction will release. Welcome again, more new members. John ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 17:15:47 -0600 Subject: [Baren 7358] re: Pressing news Hi John. Regarding my vandercook proof press.....it must be a lot older than your model. Mine has no grippers for the paper or anykind of foot pedal. The guy told me the metal stand on the right was for your ink plate & ink roller (of course...I happen to be a lefty!). Now that I think about it, Frank's did have another used Vandy that must be like your model, I remember the grippers and the self-inking rollers..and it was both manual & motor driven. It was bigger & a lot heavier than mine. I kind of like this one. Is very simple....I not only get to make some prints....but I also get a great workout moving that roller back & forth. I suppose I could rig something together to feed the paper unto the roller..... but for now I just lay the blocks down anywhere in the bed, secure them with metal furniture and using my kento registers on the block I lay the paper in top of the block. Then I just roll over the paper several times back & forth.....If I need a second impression....I lift 1/2 of the paper up, reink & roll again....then I do the other half. Registration has been good. The paper padding (tympan ?) on my roller needs replacing (any advice ?).....it is attached to the roller via metal bars concealed within the inside of the roller ....the opening in the roller where the paper is held by the crossbars, ends up in the down position when the roller is all the way right under the metal tray. Otherwise the roller won't cover the whole bed press when being used. This is not a problem unless you want to do a large sized print. It took me a while to position the roller correctly so that it would cover the whole bed....I will try to put up some detailed photos soon. http://www.skokienet.org/bandits/jcrstuff/photojr/van0201s.jpg thanks.....Julio ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 09:02:26 +0900 Subject: [Baren 7359] Exchange notes ... A few exchange notes: *** Exchange #5: We are now down to the final two slots. Last chance to join an exchange this year! *** Exchange #4: Info for the colophon is now pouring in - thank you. But I want to print it right _now_ though, so would the final few holdouts please send me the title of their print (even if it isn't finished yet). http://www.woodblock.com/forum/exchange/exchange_4/exchangedetails.html I'd like to get it printed immediately, so that I can send it off to Maria along with my own print, which was finished last night. Question: Why is David's self-portrait like a flock of sheep? *** Exchange #3: Heh heh heh! *** Dave ------------------------------ From: "DShack" Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 19:26:52 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7360] Re: tools Hello Jean, I'm in El Cerrito. I'm an artist-in-residence at Kala Arts, which is very near MacBeath, so I may drop by. Is that cherry ply, and bass ply, or planks? I've got some tools from Hida. Probably the ones you mentioned. My teacher was Tomoko Murakame (I think I spelled that right). Just a weekend class though. If we ever run across each other, maybe I could show you the color problem I'm having and get some pointers. Something tells me I've either communicated with you or seen your posts on some other list. Alt-photo? Prints-L? Or maybe saw your website, if you have one. The name, along with Richmond, sounds familiar. Dwight ------------------------------ From: Gregory Robison Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 19:49:38 +0300 Subject: [Baren 7361] Re: Bombs away <199912290513.OAA38236@ml.asahi-net.or.jp> <199912290600.PAA02326@ml.asahi-net.or.jp> Kampala, 29 December 1999 Dear Curtis: I also don't understand "tight grain" as a problem for printing. Like Graham says, it might "take a gorilla to carve it", but if you can carve it, what's the problem for printing? ------------------------------ From: "John Ryrie" Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 18:21:36 +1100 Subject: [Baren 7362] Pressing buisnes Hi Julio it must just be the age of the press with the early ones you did just putt the paper down manually. I've seen one like this with the tympan attach inside the roller I think there should be a screw on the side somewhere. The tympan paper is difficult to get I got some from a second hand printing place some years back. An alternative if you can't get any is the thick grade of Acetate (clear plastic film) I've got a feeling that this may be another product that Americans have another name for, hope you know what I mean. Under this I putt a sheet of blotting paper. Instead of blotting paper a thin sheet of natural rubber is even better. Use the old tympan to get the size and shape, it's very important to make shore your right angles are cut true or it won't sit flat on the roller. Question: Why is David's self portrait like a flock of sheep? Dave, have you considered shaving ? Two new Dragons arrived to day making six a good one from Linita which I haven't seen in julio's back yard yet. Thank you Philip, Gary, Andrea,Josephine, Linita & Sarah. I just printed another run for the second half of the list, this time I did it as an intaglio. John ------------------------------ From: Studio Dalwood Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 00:22:28 +1100 Subject: [Baren 7363] Dragons Hi everyone I know we banned them to after five but I need to ask a question to everyone. I received a dragon today that was produced by computer printout. I thought the exchange was to be woodblocks only, or at least handmade relief prints. So either I or someone else has misunderstood the 'rules'. Were there any? Josephine And welcome to the newbies! ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 21:51:45 +0900 Subject: [Baren 7364] A new world record ... In what I think is a new record for [Baren], the sign-up for Exchange #5 has now finished, with 30 names on the list. A message will shortly go out to the participants, notifying them of the 'start-up', and asking for a volunteer for coordinator. As usual, info on the Exchange can be found on the 'Administration Links' section of the main website. #3 will of course be displayed on the site too, but not until I get it! Before anybody starts asking about Exchange #6, may I ask that you be a little bit patient. Don't worry ... there _will_ indeed be a #6, and just as soon as 'they've' decided on the format (?????), I'll be making an announcement ... *** > Question: Why is David's self portrait like a flock of sheep? > Answer: Dave, have you considered shaving ? I've forgotten how, John! But no, that's not what I had in mind ... *** Josephine wrote, re 'digital dragons': > So either I or someone else has misunderstood > the 'rules'. Were there any? None at all Josephine ... The dragon exchange is just for fun - a spontaneous 'happening' that happened to catch many peoples' fancy. Don't worry about what any particular print is made of; if you don't wish to 'reply' with one of your own ... just let it pass. *** Something I should have mentioned the other day, when I was 'speaking' to the recent new members ... It's possible that some of you aren't aware of [Baren's] sister list: [Baren After Five]. You can find info on that list, and how to join it, over on the information pages of the main web site. _After Five_ is the place for you to swap your war stories! :-) Dave ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V9 #839 ***************************